Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has secured a stay on an arrest warrant issued against him in connection with an alleged fraud involving Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) deposits. The Karnataka High Court granted the stay on Tuesday under the bench of Justice Suraj Govindaraj.

Uthappa, a former director of Centauries Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd, Indiranagar, is accused of fraud related to EPF deposits of the company. An arrest warrant had been issued by Shadakshara Gopala Reddy, the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner – II, and Recovery Officer, K R Puram, for a sum of Rs 23,36,602 to be recovered from the cricketer.

Uthappa denied the allegations and stated that he was no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the company due to his cricket commitments. He explained that he had resigned from the director's role several years ago after making financial contributions to the company. Uthappa also revealed that the company had failed to repay the funds, prompting him to initiate legal action.

The former cricketer called for media responsibility, urging them to verify facts before publishing and not defame him. He added that his legal team would take the necessary steps to resolve the matter.

Uthappa, who played 59 international matches for India, made 1,183 runs and seven half-centuries. He was also a key player in the IPL, winning titles with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014 and Chennai Super Kings in 2021.